Michael Fitzmaurice (Roscommon-Galway, Independent) | Oireachtas source

I thank the witnesses for their presentations. My first question is for Ms Cassidy. She stated the Marine Casualty Investigation Board can make various recommendations. From what I understand, they may or may not be adhered to. She has said recommendations can be made to owners but they do not seem to have a legal standing.

My next question is for Mr. Mullins. It is great to hear the Port of Cork has the capacity to deal with cruise liners with 8,500 people on them. Obviously it is a deep-sea port. What is the situation with the export of calves? I know there is difficulty down south with boats. Will he enlighten me on what the Port of Cork has done to help the agricultural sector, particularly in the export of Friesian calves to get them out of the country?

My next question is for Mr. O'Rourke and Mr. O'Gorman. I note Mr. O'Gorman spoke about the national planning framework. How important is it, because if we look at the new national plan, Galway Harbour Company is not in the TEN-T funding? This was the first thing I looked for when I was trying to do a deal on the programme for Government. It was said it would apply immediately. A statement was made here earlier to Mr. Mullins about the loss of TEN-T. Let us be clear that whether the British stay in or go out, TEN-T funding can be obtained even if a country is outside the EU because it has been done already.

It is great to see what the Port of Cork can do and we need to do it in Galway to be able to bring in the likes of those ships. It is a category two port. What do we need to do to bring it up to a category one port? How valuable would it be to put in place the TEN-T funding? An effort has been made on this but the planning debacle in Galway port has been going on and on. I wonder if we will ever get an answer. What has gone on is disgraceful. Am I correct that it has been going on for three years?